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It's Fun to Play the Piano ... Please Pass It On!

I posted back in January (feels like forever ago) about wanting a piano and not being able to get one because of my circumstances (tiny 3rd floor apartment, for starters.)

Well - guess what?

I'm in the process of buying a townhouse! (Offer has been accepted, loan is being processed, just did the inspection last night - a few things need to be looked at but overall, I'm feeling good about it).

AND - not just any townhouse, my piano teacher's townhouse! (Him and his wife are having a baby and want a bigger space.)

Which means, it already has a lovely piano in it (that I got to play last night - fun!) - so I KNOW a small grand fits easily. (It's a 5'6" and I think there's plenty of room for a bit more )

I'm so excited (and a little overwhelmed) - I wanted to come and share with you guys.

AND tell you - next step after I get moved in is piano shopping! I've already ordered the Larry Fine book, and started watching ads on craigslist, and got a reference for a piano tuner from my teacher who I can call to check out potential pianos.

I think honestly I'm a tiny bit more excited about the piano then the house - the house thing completely freaks me out, since it feels like such a HUGE decision. The piano though - I am daydreaming about it pretty much every day at this point, and can't wait to find it

The number of coincidences and lucky things that have got me here (back in January, I had no plans to buy a house - at least not until my lease runs out in September) so far... I think the piano thing is just meant to be and the universe is really trying to help me out

So yay. And... any advice on piano shopping from all of those who have been there?

Congrats on the townhouse and the opportunity to piano shop. I too live in a townhouse and just bought a piano 2 weeks ago, so here are my buying tips:

1. Get Larry Fine's Piano Book and the '07/'08 supplement. It has tons of info on prices and quality, and is indispensable when shopping.

2. Take your time. Play 30, 40, 50 pianos before deciding. Set a minimum time limit of at least 30 days and promise yourself you won't buy a piano before that NO MATTER WHAT. Sales people are going to tell you about "super deals" that won't last. They are full of BS.

3. Understand that it's a buyer's market right now because the acoustic makers are hurting. Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate. You should be able to get 25 - 40% off Fine's market price on most pianos.

4. Look outside your immediate area. Most manufacturers limit the number of their dealers in metro areas to reduce competition. If you are willing to drive a bit you might find a better deal.

5. Consider used, preferably less than 10 years. Have a tech check any used piano before you buy.

In my own search I decided to go for a high-end upright rather than a low-end grand, partly because I did not want to compromise quality, and partly because of space limitations. It sounds like you are leaning toward a grand. Depending on your budget, that could put you into the Chinese- made market. I looked at a lot of those, and the only two I would consider are both in the Fine "4A" group. They are Brodmann and May Berlin . Both are assembled in China but designed by established German companies with German QC staff on site. Generally, though, I would suggest staying with group 3 and above.

These are, of course, my personal opinions and I have no qualifications other than my recent shopping experience. If you look at my blog you can see the roller coaster ride I took over several weeks while shopping.

Take bluekeys advice about a tech to heart. I can't tell you how many people I've seen get a "deal" on a piano that I later had to tell them would never stay in tune or required hundreds of dollars just to bring back to a mediocre "original" state.

Make sure you find a "tech" and not just a "tooner".

I'd also suggest that you play as many different pianos as you can find in retail stores - don't be afraid to ask to play their most expensive instruments. That will help you understand the range of instruments available. Frankly, new prices are so low right now that it's hard to justify buying a used piano unless you stumble on to a piano that someone doesn't know the value of (it's usually the other way around - people think their pianos are worth more than they are).

Also, as bluekeys hinted at, don't get sucked in by "grand envy". Unless you're prepared to shell out for at least a good 6' grand (with a couple exceptions), your money is typically better spent on a good upright. Close your eyes and play both (with the upright opened up) before you make any buy decisions.

I have a large grand myself (which I worked up to from a couple uprights) so I'm certainly not knocking them - just reminding you that you pay a premium for a small grand that may be offset by getting a better upright.

Markham - not to be too much of an idiot, but how do I find a "tech" versus tuner? My teacher had given me the names of a couple of tuners he uses and advised me to get one of them to check out any piano I was seriously considering - but I don't know if they're qualified as "techs" also?

I love the idea of trying out as many pianos as I can sounds heavenly, what a great excuse to get out and play on anything I can find!

And, I'm already set on getting a grand - even if I end up having to wait and save a little more money, or get something that's not huge (teacher has a 5'6" and seems to like it fine). I use the uprights where I take lessons, and every once in awhile I get to use the grand - and I love it. The uprights feel like I'm getting run over with sound (a bit too loud all right at me) and the pedal is still kind of uncomfortable for me. The grand is just pure bliss and joy to play on

GregF YES! I wish I could have - hehe. I joked with him about it a little, but he would want a bit more than I can spend on it (and then he got it for!) plus I think his mom-in-law actually paid for it, so they're not looking to get rid of it anytime soon. I did think about sending him a craigslist post for a bigger piano though, and mentioning that with his newer, bigger house... he should just get the big piano and leave the littler one behind I'd be sooooo ok with that *lol*

for a tech, try www.ptg.org, registered piano technicians guild. There are other fine techs who don't participate in it, but this will give you some idea of what to expect. I used it to find a tech to inspect a used piano, and it worked very well.

You also may want to introduce yourself to your neighbors and let them know of your intentions. I understand they were used to your piano teacher living in the townhouse. Build trust with your new neighbors and things will be very smooth when that "special" piano arrives at your new home. Congratulations!

- Mark

_________________________
...The ultimate joy in music is the joy of playing the piano...

PTG is a good source for techs but all techs are not created equal. If you have a good relationship with a tuner just ask them if they also repair, regulate, or even rebuild pianos. If you have a music store you respect, ask them for some names of techs they recommend for inspection work. Expect, however, to pay for this service.

As someone else mentioned, Larry Fine's book is great if you have the interest in really studying it. It is surprising how little most piano players know about their instruments. They really are fascinating as "machines" too. Ask your tech to tell (and show) you about how your piano works.

Mark - I think my teacher and his wife may have already started talking about me to the neighbors. I'm hoping I can wrangle an introduction that way, so it's a little less weird (for me anyway)...

Thanks Markham! I've ordered the book, hoping it gets here soon... When it gets to the point of looking at pianos, I guess I'll find out if the guy my teacher uses is also a tech, and if not, who I can go to - thank you for the tips on finding someone (and for the link, guest1013!).

So... it turns out that piano-teachers-wife has a student that recently bought a used piano locally from someone who does restoration and fixes up pianos (I think, I'm fuzzy on the details). Apparently he has a TON of nice pianos at reasonable prices... and she not only got his number for me, but they (my teacher and his wife) want to come along when I go to check the place out! I think this is just crazy good luck, that my piano teacher actually wants to come with me to a piano store!

The hardest part now is figuring out timing... I think it might be better to wait until after the move to go, so I don't completely fall in love with a piano before my budget (and house!) are set - and then spend weeks pining. On the other hand, I'm eager to go check the place out!!!

And on top of all this, I still need to pack! *sigh* I can't wait for the "moving" part to be over...

Saerra, go now and visit the pianos. As others have said, the more you play, the more information you'll have about what's out there and what you like. I spent nearly a year and a half looking, playing, honing my understanding--and found the right piano. How do you know it's right? You just do...